dfcatch
Established Member
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2010
- Posts
- 4,094
So - I'm sitting on a 10am CNS-BNE right now and decidedly disappointed with my markedly "average" experience.
Nothing really "wrong" - but nothing to make me feel that I made the correct decision to pay a premium to fly QF today over DJ. (other than the 91st bonus points - although I made the booking prior to that).
Before I start I have to admit that all of my flights to/from CNS in the last cpl of years have been at peak times (05:30, 12:00, 19:30 or similar). This is my first "snack" time flight on this route in a while.
In fairness - most of my to/from CNS flights do leave me feeling like a valuable customer.
1/ MEAL
Qantas - there was not $1 of difference in my fare whether I chose the 05:30 or the 10:00 departure - so why should I choose you when I get offered a snack that was literally two small heart-shaped cookies where the packaging probably costs more than the cookies. The other option was a small carrot cupcake that was smaller than my niece's fairy-bread at a recent party.
Seriously - its cough - no other word for it. If I'm paying a premium to fly QF on a 2 hr flight - I at least want the option of some Neil Perry inspired slop. Or at least a wrap or yoghurt cup perhaps or something.
In the olden days (when AN was around) you could at least get a decent meal in the QP, now you can't get much. Especially in a place like CNS with no J lounge.
There wasn't even an offer of a top up for my coffee. So it's not just the smaller food offering (I can even understand the rationale for this - on business routes like SYD-MEL at off-meal times), but it was a genuinely reduced "service offering".
All my other QF flights on this route I remember an ice cream or similar offering as a follow up service later in the flight as well.
Not that I'm hungry - but I just feel "ripped off". Rightly or wrongly - but it just "feels" that way.
And if you are going to offer a reduced service - the price should be discounted to reflect this.
Which leads me to my next point....
2/ STAFF
Maybe I've been spoilt - but all my other flights on this route (QF and DJ) have had staff that smile, appear to make an effort, have a visible CSM who seems and sounds (on the PA) genuine.
And - more often than not - at least make a small token effort to acknowledge me as a WP. (This may be as little as a pleasant smile and greeting on boarding, perhaps a name greeting on food service (I'm in 4C), or occasionally the CSM actually says hi in passing... "thank you for your loyalty......blah blah".
I'm not a DYKWIA, but you know what?
I've spent a heap of time and money to earn (and retain) WP, and things like a friendly name greeting on boarding cost $0.00, but it does make me feel a little valued - even if it is token.
The staff seemed generally disinterested, even offering the headsets came across rushed, disinterested, and much like the stereotypical "I'm making a coffee - would anyone else like one?" (where it's plain that you're hoping and expecting that no one will rudely actually say yes).
That's how she came across to me as well.
The meal service felt the same as did the rubbish collection.
For the record - the staff didn't do anything wrong, the flight was normal.
Also - the flight was 98% full and I had 4C and a shadow (although I suspect it was 4A's shadow). Which I appreciate.
But you know what - as a WP, I expect to be able to sit in row 4. Because TBH, that's one of the main reasons I choose QF over JQ for instance.
Now that DJ offers me row 3, and they come with the bonus of genuine warmth and courtesy from the FAs..... Well, let's just say that I felt underwhelmed enough that I'm considering if I should have just saved the money and chosen DJ..??
Both options give me SCs and points - so that's not a winner for either.
So in summary - I got what I paid for, there was nothing "wrong" with anything on the flight........ It's just that it was underwhelming enough for me to write this rant, post online, and draw VA's and Red Roo's attention to it.
Nothing really "wrong" - but nothing to make me feel that I made the correct decision to pay a premium to fly QF today over DJ. (other than the 91st bonus points - although I made the booking prior to that).
Before I start I have to admit that all of my flights to/from CNS in the last cpl of years have been at peak times (05:30, 12:00, 19:30 or similar). This is my first "snack" time flight on this route in a while.
In fairness - most of my to/from CNS flights do leave me feeling like a valuable customer.
1/ MEAL
Qantas - there was not $1 of difference in my fare whether I chose the 05:30 or the 10:00 departure - so why should I choose you when I get offered a snack that was literally two small heart-shaped cookies where the packaging probably costs more than the cookies. The other option was a small carrot cupcake that was smaller than my niece's fairy-bread at a recent party.
Seriously - its cough - no other word for it. If I'm paying a premium to fly QF on a 2 hr flight - I at least want the option of some Neil Perry inspired slop. Or at least a wrap or yoghurt cup perhaps or something.
In the olden days (when AN was around) you could at least get a decent meal in the QP, now you can't get much. Especially in a place like CNS with no J lounge.
There wasn't even an offer of a top up for my coffee. So it's not just the smaller food offering (I can even understand the rationale for this - on business routes like SYD-MEL at off-meal times), but it was a genuinely reduced "service offering".
All my other QF flights on this route I remember an ice cream or similar offering as a follow up service later in the flight as well.
Not that I'm hungry - but I just feel "ripped off". Rightly or wrongly - but it just "feels" that way.
And if you are going to offer a reduced service - the price should be discounted to reflect this.
Which leads me to my next point....
2/ STAFF
Maybe I've been spoilt - but all my other flights on this route (QF and DJ) have had staff that smile, appear to make an effort, have a visible CSM who seems and sounds (on the PA) genuine.
And - more often than not - at least make a small token effort to acknowledge me as a WP. (This may be as little as a pleasant smile and greeting on boarding, perhaps a name greeting on food service (I'm in 4C), or occasionally the CSM actually says hi in passing... "thank you for your loyalty......blah blah".
I'm not a DYKWIA, but you know what?
I've spent a heap of time and money to earn (and retain) WP, and things like a friendly name greeting on boarding cost $0.00, but it does make me feel a little valued - even if it is token.
The staff seemed generally disinterested, even offering the headsets came across rushed, disinterested, and much like the stereotypical "I'm making a coffee - would anyone else like one?" (where it's plain that you're hoping and expecting that no one will rudely actually say yes).
That's how she came across to me as well.
The meal service felt the same as did the rubbish collection.
For the record - the staff didn't do anything wrong, the flight was normal.
Also - the flight was 98% full and I had 4C and a shadow (although I suspect it was 4A's shadow). Which I appreciate.
But you know what - as a WP, I expect to be able to sit in row 4. Because TBH, that's one of the main reasons I choose QF over JQ for instance.
Now that DJ offers me row 3, and they come with the bonus of genuine warmth and courtesy from the FAs..... Well, let's just say that I felt underwhelmed enough that I'm considering if I should have just saved the money and chosen DJ..??
Both options give me SCs and points - so that's not a winner for either.
So in summary - I got what I paid for, there was nothing "wrong" with anything on the flight........ It's just that it was underwhelming enough for me to write this rant, post online, and draw VA's and Red Roo's attention to it.
